


One Flaw

by laufey



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-30 23:31:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12119643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laufey/pseuds/laufey
Summary: What if Sigrun had been a mage instead? An AU collaboration with Helia!





	One Flaw

The first part was always difficult. She opened her eyes, feeling a bit dizzy and trying to recall what dreams she had had, if any. The feeling of disorientation would get worse before it would get better, she knew, and unzipped her sleeping bag. Crawling out, she noticed how the tent was speckled with a shadowy leaf pattern and took a deep breath. It could mean one thing, but it could mean another just as well.

Outside the sun had already come up. Wherever it hit the grass the ground was green and soft to walk, but shadows bore a layer of frost. It was August, and the troll hunting season was nearly over. They'd complete this one last expedition and head back, to rest, heal and get massively bored while the long winter went on. Sigrun walked over to their captain, who seemed lost in thought and didn't notice her until she was standing right in front of him.

***

"Morning, captain. What's the plan?"

He rolled up a map he had been studying, and for some reason or another looked like he had a toothache. He rubbed his forehead and muttered something about wishing there were more mages than just one, and Sigrun nodded in agreement. One was definitely too few, but when the other one got eaten there was no choice, really. They'd have to finish the task with one mage, alas, the one that wasn't too good at prophesy.

She didn't know why it was so, but fact was that she had trouble remembering her dreams. If she'd learn to be more aware of them she'd be far more useful, but still, the captain was being way too pessimistic here. She could still scout the way ahead and fight, yeah, she could fight pretty well if she said so herself, and that was more than enough. So what if she couldn't remember the future?

"We'll be heading west now, and if everything goes as planned we should be going through a tiny village over here in two days. Going to check the storage houses on the way that you marked as interesting, looks like a safe run until our target so we can probably set camp wherever-"

"Aaah no actually, it's not good for camping just wherever."

He didn't even look up, just let his shoulders drop a little. By now he was used to this.

"I mean... I didn't mark the troll areas because we can just smash through them if needed, there's nothing big anywhere anyway. It's not good for camping though, because we're probably going to fight and the noise might alert something else nearby. I drew you a few good places for camping on the map here and here -"

"Those areas are both several days travel away..."

"Huh?"

"Ever learned to read a map?" He rubbed his forehead again and let out a long sigh. "Ok, so there's going to be some activity for the next few days, I'm not entirely surprised. is there any way we could avoid it?"

Sigrun opened and shut her mouth a few times, trying to wrap her brain around the question.

"Well... no, not if we're going for the interesting houses. That's where the trolls are, mostly. BUT - but, but, I mean, I'll just bust an _ægishjálmur_ at them at the door and then you guys pick them off one by one while they're dumbstruck by that. Quick, clean, no problem. We'll just have to figure some new place for camping."

***

The first part was always difficult. She opened her eyes, feeling a bit dizzy and trying to recall what dreams she had had, if any. The feeling of disorientation would get worse before it would get better, she knew, and unzipped her sleeping bag. Crawling out, she noticed how the tent was completely dark, and took a deep breath. It could mean one thing, but it could mean another just as well.

Outside the world was sunk into twilight that seemed ever unchanging. Wherever her footsteps landed tiny circles of water spread out under her feet. There was no time here.

She glanced around and the waters changed into frosty grass, trampled by footsteps, stained with blood and gore. This did not look good, she thought, feeling a chill creep down her spine. No, not good at all. In front of her a house rose out of the autumn mist, long since abandoned, shadows in places where shadows should not be, door hanging off of one hinge. Only one set of footprints lead to the door, and as she watched brilliant flashes of lightning made the ancient window panes bulge out and erupt in shards all around her.

Oh shit no. There'd be something in this house, something much, much bigger than she'd estimated. She'd better remember this dream somehow, she thought, pressing her nails into her palms.

***

The first part was always difficult. She opened her eyes, feeling a bit dizzy and trying to recall what dreams she had had, if any. The feeling of disorientation would get worse before it would get better, she knew, and tried to unzip her sleeping bag. This didn't work. For one, her arm would not move, for two... where was she?

Outside the sun had already come up. The leaves outside the narrow window were changing colour by now, reminding her that the hunting season was truly over and that it was time to do nothing at all for a few months. She squinted her eyes against the sunlight, patting around the bed with her left arm that still seemed to be fine. Bandages here - right arm in a sling - a neck brace. Ah. The hospital, then.

The dream ran past her memory with mice feet, flicking into her vision for a fraction of a second and then disappearing forever, as if mocking her.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ægishjálmur = "helm of awe", a magical stave that strikes fear into your enemies. Normally worn on the forehead, but for SSSS purposes used for fighting.


End file.
